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Sunday, September 25, 2016

CORONAL HOLE TURNING TOWARD EARTH: A vast "coronal hole" has opened up in the sun's atmosphere, and it is spewing solar wind into space. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory is monitoring the structure as it turns toward Earth:

"Coronal holes are regions in the sun's atmosphere where the magnetic field peels back and allows solar wind to escape. Today's coronal hole is a big one, and the emerging solar wind stream is broad. It is very unlikely to miss Earth when it arrives on Sept. 28-29. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras later this week."